Jewelry ornament

ABSTRACT

A jewelry ornament including a pendant, a ring having a first leg with a first end and a second end, and a second leg having a first end and a second end, the legs being connected together at the second end of the first leg and the first end of the second leg so as to be pivotable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position, the pendant being pivotally mounted on the first leg, and a clasp mechanism mounted on the first end of the first leg and the second end of the second leg for releasably holding the legs in the closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to jewelry, and more particularly to ornaments that can be interchangeably suspended from items such as pins, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc.

With respect to earrings, prior art designs exist for selectively adapting an earring by attaching different ornaments to the earring. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,852 discloses an earring comprising a loop member which is attachable to an ear. The loop member has a narrow throat that allows a link of the charm to be pulled therethrough to attach the charm to the earring. In this way, the wearer can selectively attach a particular charm to the earring as desired.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,561 discloses an earring with a hook for removably attaching a pendant ornament. The earring includes a hook and a retaining plate, the lower portion of which is biased by a spring toward the hook to retain an ornament on the hook. Pendants can be interchangeably attached to this earring. This structure includes a number of generally delicate or fragile parts. The construction is also is relatively complex. The contents of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,803,852 and 2,797,561 are incorporated herein by reference.

The problem with these prior art constructions is that they require the earring, pin, necklace or bracelet to either be removed to attach the charm or have some extra structure for attaching the charm. This makes it cumbersome to interchange the charms, if not impossible when the item of jewelry is being worn.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a charm having a clasp that can be opened with one hand when the charm is mounted on a piece of jewelry. The clasp on the charm allows the charm to be removed or mounted to a piece of jewelry without having to remove the piece of jewelry, and without requiring the jewelry to have some special construction for mounting the charm.

Pursuant to this object, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the present invention resides in a jewelry ornament having a pendant, a ring having a first leg with a first end and a second end, and a second leg having a first end and a second end, the legs being connected together at the second end of the first leg and the first end of the second leg so as to be pivotable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position, the pendant being pivotally mounted on the first leg, and a clasp mechanism mounted on the first end of the first leg and the second end of the second leg for releasably holding the legs in the closed position.

In another embodiment, the pendant is mounted on the first leg in a region of the first end of the first leg. The first leg has a flange element on each side of the pendant so as to prevent sliding of the pendant along the first leg.

In still a further embodiment, the clasp mechanism includes a pin extending from the second end of the second leg, and an engagement member extending from the first end of the first leg and having a radially extending hole therein. The pin and the engagement member with the hole are configured so that the pin is held in the hole under tension when the legs are in the closed position.

In an alternative embodiment, a projection is provided on a radially outer surface of the second leg in a region of the second end. The projection is configured for grasping by a fingernail to exert an opening force on the clasp mechanism.

In yet another embodiment, the clasp mechanism includes a pin extending from the first end of the first leg and a radially outwardly directed projection at the second end of the second leg. The projection having a hole therein. The pin, the projection, and the hole are configured so that the pin is engageable in the hole under tension in the closed position of the legs.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a jewelry ornament pursuant to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view along the arrow II in FIG. 1 of a portion of the clasp;

FIG. 3 is a view as in FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view along the line IV in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the inventive jewelry ornament. As can be seen, the ornament has an openable ring member 15 and a pendant member 1. This pendant member 1 can have any desired shape or configuration, and in this embodiment, the pendant represents the torso of a boy. In FIG. 5, the pendant 1 is a dress. At the top of the pendant 1 is an upwardly directed eye-member 2 that has a hole therethrough. A first leg 3 of a ring member 15 is mounted in the hole of the eye 2 so that the pendant 1 can pivot around the leg of the ring, but not along the axis of the ring. The first leg 3 has a flange 4 arranged on each side of the eye 2 so as to prevent the eye 2 from sliding along the first leg 3.

A second leg 5 has a first end pivotally connected to the second end of the first leg 3. The second end of the second leg 5 has a pin 6.

The first end of the first leg 3 has an engagement member 7 that projects from the first end of the first leg 3. The engagement member 7 has a hole 8 therein. When the second leg 5 is pivoted downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 1, the pin 6 contacts the engagement member 7 and then snaps into the hole 8 upon further movement to lock the second leg 5 in place to close the ring. The engagement member 7 is configured to provide a slight spring force against the pin 6. The pin 6 and the engagement member 7 form a clasp mechanism.

To open the ring 15, the wearer simply grasps behind the projection 9 that is provided on the second leg in the vicinity of the pin 6. By engaging behind the projection 9, for example, with a fingernail, and pulling away from the engagement member 7, the pin 6 is removed from the hole and thereby permits the entire ring and pendant to be removed from the item it is mounted to, for example, a chain (not shown). Typically, the internal diameter of the ring member can be on the order of about five millimeters and the outer diameter about 7 millimeters. The small size of the ring makes it exceedingly difficult to open the ring. The nail graspable projection 9 solves that problem. Preferably, the outer diameter of the ring member is smaller than 12 millimeters.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the clasp mechanism in which a pin 10 is provided on the first end of the first leg 3. The second end of the second leg 5 has a radially outwardly directed part 11 with a hole 12 therein (see FIG. 4). When the second leg 5 is pivoted toward the first leg 3, the pin 10 engages the outer edge of the outwardly directed part 11 which then snaps over the pin so that the pin 10 engages in the hole 12. The outer edge of the part 11 rests with tension against the pin 10.

Disengagement of the second leg from the first leg is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1. A wearer grasps behind the projection 9 with her nail and pulls away from the first leg 3 which causes the part 11 to be moved off the pin 10. The force needed to accomplish this must be greater than the tension the part 11 exerts on the pin 10.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the inventive jewelry ornament in which the pendant has a different shape than shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. As was previously stated, the pendant can take any desired shape or form so long as it has the clasp mechanism described above.

As described above, the exceedingly small, but easily openable ring member 15 greatly facilitates attaching the pendant 1 to different chains, to loop earrings or to other jewelry.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims. 

1. A jewelry ornament, comprising: a pendant; a ring having a first leg with a first end and a second end, and a second leg having a first end and a second end, the legs being connected together at the second end of the first leg and the first end of the second leg so as to be pivotable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position, the pendant being mounted on the first leg; and a clasp mechanism mounted on the first end of the first leg and the second end of the second leg for releasably holding the legs in the closed position.
 2. The jewelry ornament according to claim 1, wherein the pendant is pivotally mounted on the first leg in a region of the first end of the first leg, the first leg having a flange element on each side of the pendant so as to prevent sliding of the pendant along the first leg.
 3. The jewelry ornament according to claim 1, wherein the clasp mechanism includes a pin extending from the second end of the second leg, and an engagement member extending from the first end of the first leg and having a radially extending hole therein, the pin and the engagement member with the hole being configured so that the pin is held in the hole under tension when the legs are in the closed position.
 4. The jewelry ornament according to claim 1, wherein a projection is provided on a radially outer surface of the second leg, the projection being configured for grasping by a fingernail to exert an opening force on the clasp mechanism.
 5. The jewelry ornament according to claim 1, wherein the clasp mechanism includes a pin extending from the first end of the first leg and a radially outwardly directed projection at the second end of the second leg, the projection having a hole therein, the pin, the projection, and the hole being configured so that the pin is engageable in the hole under tension in the closed position of the legs.
 6. The jewelry ornament according to claim 5, wherein a projection is provided on a radially outer surface of the second leg in a region of the second end, the projection being configured for grasping by a fingernail to exert an opening force on the clasp mechanism.
 7. The jewelry ornament according to claim 4, wherein the pendant has the shape of a boy's outfit.
 8. The jewelry ornament according to claim 4, wherein the pendant has the shape of a girl's outfit.
 9. The jewelry ornament of claim 4, in which the ring member has an outer diameter smaller than 12 millimeters.
 10. The jewelry ornament of claim 6, in which the ring member has an outer diameter smaller than 12 millimeters. 